Poll: Louisville football fans rank No. 1 in optimism — Kentucky fans rank last | Sports

Heading into the college football season, The Athletic polled fans of every Power 4 team

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – It probably means nothing. But it says something.

The Athletic just released its annual "Hope-O-Meter," a nationwide poll of college football fan sentiment — and it revealed a fascinating local split.

According to more than 12,000 fans who responded, Louisville fans are the most optimistic in the country. Kentucky fans? Most pessimistic.

The Cardinals were one of just three programs (along with SMU and Utah) whose fans registered 100 percent optimism heading into the season. Not a single voter said they were pessimistic. It speaks to the faith Louisville fans have in head coach Jeff Brohm entering Year 3 — and the results they've seen on the field.

One fan put it this way in The Athletic's survey: "Trust in Jeff Brohm. He can do great things for Miller Moss. The duo of Isaac Brown and Duke Watson gives us one of the best backfields in the country. Defense gives me pause, but Brohm has the weapons to put up points."

Yes, there was a baffling loss to Stanford last season. And the year before that, a gut punch to Kentucky. But those setbacks haven't dented belief. Louisville was picked fifth in the ACC preseason poll and sits just outside the AP Top 25. Clearly, fans think they have something the experts aren't seeing.

Meanwhile in Lexington, only 11 percent of Kentucky fans said they were optimistic — the lowest rate in all of Power 4 football. That means 89 percent of UK respondents checked the "pessimistic" box, even lower than Mississippi State (16%) and Wisconsin (17%).

That's the challenge facing Mark Stoops — not just competing in the rugged SEC, but reconnecting with a fan base that has grown restless. His program has gone from a consistent bowl threat to one with real questions.

Said one Kentucky fan in the survey: "The Mark Stoops era hopefully becomes the Mark Stops (finally) era. He's beyond checked out as coach and the fan base is checking out with him."

In contrast, Indiana fans — fresh off a stunning College Football Playoff run in Curt Cignetti's first year — are feeling great. A full 98 percent said they're optimistic heading into Year 2, placing the Hoosiers among the 10 most upbeat fan bases.

All three local programs open the season Saturday afternoon at home.

Kentucky faces its toughest opener in years: a 12:45 p.m. matchup against Toledo (SEC Network), a MAC favorite that received votes in the AP Top 25.
Indiana hosts Old Dominion at 2:30 p.m. (FS1), a program Cignetti knows well from his days at James Madison.
Louisville welcomes FCS playoff qualifier Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. (ACC Network), looking to open with a statement.

Hope springs eternal this time of year. At least, it does in some places.